Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Nile were controlled and the agricultural activities were linked to the seasonal flow
variations. Romans are known for their advances in urban water supply, other people
developed well-organized and constructed irrigation systems. Up to the 19 th century,
professionals involved in water engineering were thinking in terms of water quantities
only. The link between water sources, their quality and public health issues was made in
the second half of the 19 th century after several disastrous epidemic events caused by
water borne diseases. These events led to the implementation of sanitation structures and
wastewater treatment facilities. During the last decades of the 20 th century, characterized
by extreme and unseen levels of urbanization and industrialization, a serious deterioration
of whole geographic regions and corresponding natural water resources has been
detected, especially in urban areas or regions with intensive agriculture. Thus, qualitative
aspects and environmental protection become imperative for an adequate water resources
management practice and the concept of integrated management of water resources was
introduced.
4.1 The integrated approach to catchment management
Considering the character and generation of diffuse pollution, its assessment, regulation
and control should be based on an adequate and proper water resources management
practice, where the concept of sustainable economic and social development governs.
This concept has different aspects in terms of economic, environmental, human resources
and other conditions, but the general goal is to provide for the needs of present
generations, without jeopardizing the needs of future generations. In order to achieve its
objectives, the process of diffuse pollution management should be incorporated and
should form part of the whole process of integrated water resources management. This
approach requires consideration of factors and interactions in the following directions:
• All natural aspects of the system-surface and ground water and water's physical
behavior, as well as environmental water requirements, impacts and interactions with
other environmental media-soil and air;
• Consideration of quantitative and qualitative aspects;
• All sectors of the national economy that depend on water;
• The relevant national objectives and constraints (legal, institutional, financial, and
environmental);
• The institutional hierarchy and arrangements at national, provincial, local levels and
corresponding interactions;
• The spatial variation (upstream and downstream interaction, basin-wide analysis,
interbasin transfer).
It is clear that an integrated approach to catchment management is a multi-objective task,
which requires consideration of numerous factors and conditions in different fields of
specialization. Therefore, its practical application requires the involvement of
multidisciplinary teams and interactions between different disciplines and professions,
during the management and the decision taking process. No single discipline, agency,
institution or group could handle this task alone. Furthermore, if decisions are to be made
on a sound and scientifically supported basis, the use of mathematical modeling and
information processing becomes an imperative part of the process. It would allow for a
Search WWH ::




Custom Search